Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with German goalkeeper and Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn during the team's Dubai training camp in 2004. Getty Images
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with German goalkeeper and Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn during the team's Dubai training camp in 2004. Getty Images
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with German goalkeeper and Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn during the team's Dubai training camp in 2004. Getty Images
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with German goalkeeper and Bayern Munich captain Oliver Kahn during the team's Dubai training camp in 2004. Getty Images

Looking back at Bayern Munich's 2004 Dubai training session with Sheikh Hamdan - Timeframe


Faisal Salah
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai has become a favourite with international football clubs when choosing destinations for their warm-weather training in the winter.

The trend dates back at least 20 years, when German football club Bayern Munich were invited to the city by Dubai’s tourism authority.

The six-time Champions League winners arrived on January 6, 2004 for five days of training sessions and friendly matches.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, who was 21 years old at the time, attended one of the team’s training sessions.

Sporting a Bayern Munich top with German-Turkish player Mehmet Scholl’s name on the back, Sheikh Hamdan trained with the team and met club officials.

At the time, Bayer Munich’s team was packed with names now considered legends of the game, including Oliver Kahn, then aged 34 and the team's captain.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with Uli Hoeness, former general manager of Bayern Munich. Hoeness would be elected in 2009 to become president of the club. Getty Images
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed with Uli Hoeness, former general manager of Bayern Munich. Hoeness would be elected in 2009 to become president of the club. Getty Images

Also on the trip were German midfielder Michael Ballack, two years before of his move to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea Football Club, Peruvian player Claudio Pizarro, French left-back Bixente Lizarazu and Canada's Owen Hargreaves.

The club trained at Rashid Stadium which was Al Ahli’s ground at the time. Al Ahli have since been merged with Al Shabab and Dubai FC to become Shabab Al Ahli Club.

Bayern Munich faced second division Bundesliga side FC Energie Cottbus in a friendly match during their Dubai camp.

Warm weather training in the UAE

Warm-weather training has become a seasonal staple for some of the biggest teams in Europe. Every year, teams arrive in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to train together in the sun, as well as relax and bond away from the pressure of the season.

Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack lead their team past a procession of Emirati bagpipers as they prepare for a training session at Rashid Stadium, Dubai. Getty Images
Oliver Kahn and Michael Ballack lead their team past a procession of Emirati bagpipers as they prepare for a training session at Rashid Stadium, Dubai. Getty Images

Speaking to Bein Sports in December, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that his team would return to the UAE capital for a camp.

“We go there to train in better weather, to be together – training, training and training to prepare for the second part of the season,” he said.

The Spanish manager also credited last year’s camp for being a positive factor in the team’s treble-winning season, saying: “Last season we were there in the World Cup, and it had an incredible impact for the staff and everyone. The five titles [we won] prove it.”

English Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal, have all made regular long stops in the country in January to unwind and train ahead of the second half of the season. North London team Arsenal began its latest warm-weather stint in Dubai on Tuesday and will be training in the emirate until January 16.

"We have regularly travelled to Dubai over the past few years during the chilly British winters seeking training conditions in warm weather, and this year’s opportunity provides the squad with the chance to work hard together ahead of the second half of the campaign," according to an Arsenal team statement.

Results

United States beat UAE by three wickets

United States beat Scotland by 35 runs

UAE v Scotland – no result

United States beat UAE by 98 runs

Scotland beat United States by four wickets

Fixtures

Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland

Admission is free

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SPEC SHEET

Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support

Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR

Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps

Audio: Stereo speakers

Biometrics: Touch ID

I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)

Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular

Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue

Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)

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Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 480hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 570Nm from 2,300-5,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 10.4L/100km

Price: from Dh547,600

On sale: now 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indika
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2011%20Bit%20Studios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Odd%20Meter%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%205%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20series%20X%2FS%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Muguruza's singles career in stats

WTA titles 3

Prize money US$11,128,219 (Dh40,873,133.82)

Wins / losses 293 / 149

JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

Four stars

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Profile

Company name: Jaib

Started: January 2018

Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour

Based: Jordan

Sector: FinTech

Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018

Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups

Liverpool’s fixtures until end of 2019

Saturday, November 30, Brighton (h)

Wednesday, December 4, Everton (h)

Saturday, December 7, Bournemouth (a)

Tuesday, December 10, Salzburg (a) CL

Saturday, December 14, Watford (h)

Tuesday, December 17, Aston Villa (a) League Cup

Wednesday, December 18, Club World Cup in Qatar

Saturday, December 21, Club World Cup in Qatar

Thursday, December 26, Leicester (a)

Sunday, December 29, Wolves (h)

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

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Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'

Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.

Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.

"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.

"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.

"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."

Our legal consultant

Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Stamp%20duty%20timeline
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New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017

Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free

Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa

Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia

Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

Updated: January 12, 2024, 6:01 PM